LILY XIAO SPEAKS OUT

The former Sixth Grade Student of the Year goes grunge.

It’s 1993, and seventh grader Lily Xiao wants nothing more than “to be grunge.” She’s fascinated by how grunge has transformed shy and awkward Eddie Vedder into the powerfully raw lead vocalist of her favorite band, Pearl Jam. Lily has some way to go in her own transformation, however. Her classmates call her the “class robot”; her cousin, Vivian, who recently moved to California from Taipei, is her only real friend; her parents and Ah-ma seem terrified of doing anything to get in trouble; and she doesn’t know how to play the guitar and definitely won’t sing. If Lily and Vivian can ace their progress reports, their parents will let them attend Camp Rock Out this summer, and she’ll finally be able to find her true grunge self. But when Lily learns of Vivian’s academic struggles and the principal’s refusal to provide support for any of the school’s many English language learners, she realizes that the time to be bold is now. From Lily’s Taiwanese American family to her Spanish- and Korean-speaking classmates, the book is filled with characters who broaden Lily’s world. At times, the overly simplified presentation of complex topics may have readers wishing for more robust backmatter. Still, Lily’s love for grunge—and the joyful inclusion of Mandarin and Taiwanese language and culture—make this story noteworthy.

Rock on.